Junior Sailors achieve many milestones their first few years in the Navy. A Sailor earning the right to wear their primary warfare designator is one such milestone, and can be made more special by those chosen to share that moment with.

One Sailor aboard aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Aviation Electronics Technician Airman J. Simmons, chose to make her Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist (EAWS) pinning more meaningful by asking her new mentor and fellow Connecticut native, Lt. Cmdr. C. Palmerone, Truman's admin officer, to pin her.

"While on duty, we discovered that not only were we both from Connecticut and even from the same small town, but also graduated from the same high school 25 years apart," said Palmerone. "You never know just how small of a world it can be until you start talking to people."

After realizing they both came from the town of East Lyme, Conn., Palmerone and Simmons quickly found common ground discussing how much things had, or hadn't, changed back home. This coincidence was the first step in Palmerone becoming Simmons' mentor.

"He has absolutely been a terrific role model and mentor to me," said Simmons. "He's had a great career and is an excellent testament to what you can accomplish by setting goals for yourself. He went from being a submariner to a surface Sailor; enlisted to officer; and now the head of Truman's administrative department; it's that kind of motivation I strive to put forward daily in my Navy career."

Simmons said having such a positive influence helps inspire her to reach for new milestones in her career, such as her warfare pin, as well as her personal life, and it makes larger goals feel more attainable.

"If you surround yourself with good people, it helps make you a better Sailor and, I think, a better overall person," said Simmons. "Lt. Cmdr. Palmerone taught me I can go anywhere I want to go as long as I'm willing to put in the effort and follow through. Having encouragement like that in my life also inspires me to help bring up the other Sailors around me and to pass on the example that's being set for me."

Palmerone said it is that kind of work ethic he hopes to inspire in the Sailors he mentors. "I always say 'Your attitude determines your altitude," said Palmerone. "Airman Simmons earning her air warfare pin is just the beginning for her. One of the main things I hope she's taken away from my mentorship is to keep moving onward toward new goals and to help pass along the knowledge she's acquired as it was passed on to her." "When we pass by each other on the ship, especially if one of us has been back home recently or heard news of something about home, we share that information," said Simmons. "There's always something comforting about that, especially while we're at sea. It's nice having a small piece of home away from home."
Simmons said it is valuable to be able to talk to someone who knows where she comes from. She said because Palmerone is a constant source of positivity for her, asking him to become her mentor was not a hard decision.

Simmons echoed Palmerone's sentiment, saying her Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist qualification is only the beginning. She said Palmerone has not only inspired her to always strive for more, but has taught her that like any other Sailor, she can reach any goal she sets her mind to.

For more news from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), visit www.navy.mil/.